Door assemblies



July 9, 1957 J. D. BEAMER 2,798,262

DOOR ASSEMBLIES Filed April 19, 1956 E /2 1 IL -/6' I E T131 5 /0 /a 20 w F [J2 /JG IN V EN T OR. J0 HA! a 8159/1163? Edi/ 6 m A frag/v47:

Un ted IQESPa fi w This invention relates to improvements in door and/ or closure assemblies and particularly to a door assembly which is formed of a rigid planar doorpanel provided along certain of its margins with tubular reinforcements.

The construction is generally of the same class as that shown in the co-pending application of James W. Greig, Serial No. 398,719, filed December 17, 1953, assigned to the assignee of this application.

An object is the provision of a door or panel assembly of the character specified wherein the marginal tubular reinforcement is so mounted upon the marginal portion of a planar panel as to present a substantially flush surface with one surface of the panel. It is also so mounted as to securely retain its position upon the panel Without accidental detachment therefrom and without the employment of screws, nails or other fastening means and without grooving of a planar surface of the panel to receive an inturned margin of the tube as shown in the copending application supra.

Another object is the provision of an assembly of the character set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph wherein a plain marginal tubular reinforcement, generally rectangular in cross section, is so engaged with the marginal portion of an ungrooved planar panel as to resisttilting thereon and wherein such is accomplished at a minimum cost without supplemental attaching means and with a simple, inexpensive structure.

Another object is the provision of an assembly of the character described wherein the marginal tube may be readily applied to the panel without defacing or marring the same. More specifically such tube will retain its position upon the panel against withdrawal therefrom so securely that such withdrawal can only be accomplished with considerable difiiculty and with probable resulting defacement of the panel.

Other objects, advantages and meritorious features of the invention will more fully appear from. the following claims, specification, and accompanying drawings, wherem:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a sliding door assembly comprising two sliding doors mounted within a wall opening and embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan of a corner of a door provided with the tubular reinforcement embodying the invention;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to that of Fig. 3 but showing diagrammatically the relationship of the tube with the rigid planar panel which forms the broad expanse of the door; and,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a slightly modified structure.

The instant invention is illustrated in connection with a sliding door of the type wherein there is provided a rigid planar panel reinforced along its vertical margins with finish tubes. Such constructions are in general use g 2,798,262 Patented July 9, 1957 and one such is illustrated in Greig dated November 24, 1953.

In the drawing of the instant application a door opening is indicated in Fig. 1 by the jamb portions 10, a header portion 12 and a floor line 14. Two sliding doors are illustrated as mounted within such opening. Such doors might be supported upon bottom rollers adapted to ride over a track with the top edges of the doors guided within channel guideways or the doors might be supported from overhead by rail engaging roller carrying hangers, all of which is conventional construction and has nothing to do with the instant invention.

The instant invention relates to the combination of the door panel with the marginal reinforcement tube and the construction of the tube and the manner in which the same is mounted upon the panel. In the instant application a suitable panel is indicated as 16. Such may be formed of Masonite or any other suitable sheet material. It is relatively rigid and strong. Diiferent manufacturers produce a hard composition board suitable for use or natural board or plywood may be used. Over a vertical margin of the panel a metal tube is mounted. Such tube mounting is particularly shown in Figs. 2 through 5. It is indicated generally in Fig. 1 by the numeral 18. The tube shown is generally rectangular in cross section. It comprises a bottom portion 20, side wall portions 22 and 24, a top wall portion 26 and a flange portion 28. The side wall portions project approximately perpendicularly with respect to the bottom portion 20. The side wall portion 22 is continued to form the top wall Patent No. 2,659,939

26. This top wall terminates spaced from the opposite side wall 24 providing a gap therebetween. It has a marginal portion which is inturned forming a flange 28. The inturned marginal flange 28 is disposed generally parallel to the side wall 24.

While it is herein stated that the side walls 22 and 24 are generally parallel and perpendicular with respect to the bottom wall 20, and such is generally true, it will be noted that such side walls do converge slightly toward each other. They are tensioned toward each other and are resilient so that they may be spread apart at the gap, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. The edge of the flange portion 28 is bent outwardly toward the side wall portion 24, as at 30. When the tube is received over the marginal portion of the panel, such outwardly bent edge portion 30 tends to engage the face of the panel being urged there into, as shown at 32 in Fig. 3. Any attempt to withdraw the panel from the tube will cause the edge 32 of the flange 28 to dig into the face of the panel and resist such withdrawal. Furthermore, the flange portion 28 of the tube and the top wall portion 26 thereof will tend to swing as a unit about the connection of the top wall portion 26 with the side wall 22, upon any attempt to withdraw the panel from the tube, and such swinging tendency also causes the edge 32 to be urged more strongly against the face of the panel.

In the modification shown in Figs. 2 and 3 one corner of the margin of the panel which is received within the tube is beveled as at 33. This beveled corner 33 facilitates ease of insertion of the panel margin through the gap into the tube. Such beveled corner 33 also facilitates seating of the edge of the panel against the bottom 20 of the tube shown in Fig. 2.

Insertion of the margin of the panel through the gap into the tube is also facilitated by the fact that the tube is so formed as to exhibit a side entrance into the gap. The flange 28 is connected with the top wall 26 by an angular or beveled wall portion 29. This increases the width of the entrance to the gap and facilitates insertion of the margin of the panel thereinto.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the edge of the panel is not beveled. The panel is there shown as provided with a straight or flat edge.

the beveled corner or radius bend portion of the tube between thebottom wall 20 and the side wall 2t".v However, such'flat edge of the panel does. seat against the beveled corner or radiusbend portion 'of the tube as shown in Fig. 5.

In each modification the side wall portion 24. is;

2 and 3 the bead 34 is so formed'that it does not directly engage the adjacent face of, the panel but is spaced slightly In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the edge.

therefrom. of the bead 34 is adapted to directly engage the adjacent face of the panel and increases the stability of the assembly. V

When the panel 16 is inserted within the tube, it is inserted through the split ofthe tube perpendicularly with respect to the bottom wall 20 of the tube and is forced down until the edge of the panel engagessuch bottom wall as shown in Figs. 2 and 3- or engage the corner of the corner bend as shown in Fig. 5. Normally the space between the inturned flange 28 and the opposite sidewall 24 of the tube would be slightly less than the thickness of the panel received between the side wall 24 and the flange 28 so that when the panel is received therebetween, itis grippingly engaged by the tube to beheld securely-therein;

The outwardly turned edge 30 of the flange 28 of the tube engages the adjacent face of the panel along a line spaced from but parallel to the bottom wall 20. The engagement is such that it tends to hold the panel to its seat against the bottom wall and resists withdrawal of the panel from the tube. The tube is further engaged by the marginal flange 28 along a line 36 which is parallel to the line of engagement 32. This particular shape of the flange and its line engagements with the adjacent face of the panel urges the panel to lie flat against the inner face of the side wall 24 of the tube. It is important to note that the line of engagement formed by the outwardly turned margin 30 of the flange 28 with the adjacent face of the panel is a line which is closer to the bottom wall of the tube than it is to the top wall thereof. Due to this fact, any tendency to tilt the tube about its longitudinal axis about the edge of the panel is strongly resisted.

What I claim is:

1. A door assembly comprising, in combination: a rigid planar door panel; a split tube substantially rectangular in cross section having a bottom wall, two opposite side walls, and a top wall forming an angular extension of one side wall and terminating spaced by the split from the opposite side Wall, said top wall having its marginal portion inturned into the tube forming a flange extending toward the bottom wall but terminating spaced therefrom and disposed generally parallel to said opposite side wall of the tube, said flange and said opposite side wall being tensioned toward each other, said tube received over a marginal portion of the panel with the edge of the panel disposed adjacent to the bottom wall of the Suchedge will not seat throughout its width against the bottom of the tube because of tube and lying fiat against said opposite side wall of the tube and held thereagainst by the pressure of the inturned marginal flange of the top wall of the tube.

2. A door assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that the marginal flange portion of the top wall of the tube which is inturned into the tube has its edge bent toward the opposite side wall of the tube and engaged with the adjacent face of the panel resiliently holding the edge of the panel toward the bottom wall of the tube.

3. A door assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that the marginal flange portion of the top wall of the tube which is inturned'into' the tube is inturned thereinto a distance greater than one-half of the distance between the top wall and the bottom wall of the tube and the edge portion of said flange portion bears against the panel along a line closer to the bottom wall of the tubethan to-the top wall thereof.

4.v A door assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that the marginal flange portion of the top wall of the tube which is inturned into the tube is inturned thereinto a distance greater than one-half of the distance between the top wall and the bottom wall of the tube and the edge of said. flange portion bears against the panel along a line closer to thebottom wall of the tube than. to the top wall thereof, and further characterized inthatsaid opposite side wall of the tube which lies flat against the panel has its edge portion crimped to form a marginal bead and the edge of such bead bears against the adjacent; face of the panel, and-such side wall and the marginal flange portion of the top wall arev tensioned toward each other gripping the panel therebetween.

5. A door assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that, the marginal flange-portion of the top wall of the tube which. is inturned has its edge portion bent toward the opposite side wall of the tube and engaged with, the adjacent face of the panel, holding the edge of the panel toward the bottom wall of the tube, said adjacent face of the panel being engaged along a line by the edge of the flange which line is closer to the bottom wall of the tube than to the top wall thereof, said adjacent face'of the panel being also engaged along a parallel line spaced? from the first line by a portion of the flange adjacent to the top wall of the tube, that portion of the flange intermediate said lines of engagement being spaced from the face of the panel.

6'. A door assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that the edge of the panel received within the tube, seats throughout the width of such edge portion against the bottom wall of the tube.

7. A door assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized inthat the top wall of the tube is joined to the flange portion of the top wall by a beveled corner wall portion which provides an enlarged entrance into the space between the fiange portion of the top wall and the opposite side wall of-the tube:

No references cited. 

